Park Seo-joon is a famous South Korean actor best known for starring in Korean dramas like Itaewon Classes, What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim, Fight For My Way, and many more. He has now joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Prince Yan—husband of Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) in The Marvels.
The movie is set to release today on 10 November. This will make him the third South Korean actor after actors like Ma Dong-seok as Gilgamesh The Eternals and Claudia Kim as Dr. Helen Cho in Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Now, the question is, did Park Seo-joon serve in the (mandatory) South Korean military before entering the MCU to portray Prince Yan in The Marvels?
Park Seo-joon’s Military Service Status Pre-Marvel Debut
The 34-year-old Park Seo-joon, is among the rare actors who didn’t pause acting to serve in South Korea’s mandatory military. He joined right after finishing high school in 2008 at the age of 19. After his discharge in 2010, he concentrated on his acting career.
After high school, Park wasn’t sure what to do, so he went into the military to figure things out. Soon after leaving the military, he entered the entertainment industry with encouragement from friends.
After his discharge, he started his career in Bang Yong-guk’s 2011 music video I Remember. This led to significant roles in 2015’s Kill Me Heal Me and Chronicles of Evil.
And now, nearly giving strong performances in the South Korean entertainment industry, he is ready to shine in Hollywood, too.
How Did Park Seo-joon Land the Role of Prince Yang in The Marvels
Nia DaCosta, the director and co-writer of The Marvels, explained what made her cast K-drama favorite Park Seo-joon in the film.
The 34-year-old chose Park Seo-joon for the role of Prince Yan because she was deeply moved by his performance in Itaewon Class (2020). Watching the show during COVID-19, she was particularly struck by his powerful portrayal of the male lead, Park Saeroyi
DaCosta has been a fan of Korean pop culture, especially dramas, for a long time. When she was offered the opportunity to direct The Marvels, Park came to her mind instantly. The director confirmed that Park’s appearance in the film might be “short but impactful.”
This marks Park Seo-joon’s Hollywood debut after being in the Korean entertainment scene for over a decade.
